I KNOW THE END

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August 16th, 2023

THE BENNETT RESIDENCE

LILA

I woke up feeling more optimistic than ever. My conversation with William had gone better than I could have hoped, and the weekend plans were set. I was excited to see what the day would bring. After quickly getting ready, I headed downstairs to find Alex and our dad in a quiet conversation at the kitchen table.

"Morning," I said, grabbing some toast.

"Morning, Lila," Dad said with a smile. "You ready for school?"

"Yep," I replied, giving Alex a questioning look.

He shrugged slightly. "Just talking about stuff."

We finished breakfast in relative silence, but the tension seemed to have eased a bit. Maybe things really were starting to improve.

AT SCHOOL

When we arrived at school, I saw William waiting by the entrance. He smiled when he saw me, and my heart did a little flip.

"Hey, Lila," he said, walking over. "Ready for the weekend?"

"Absolutely," I said, smiling back. "How about you?"

"Definitely," he replied. "I've been looking forward to it."

As we chatted, I noticed Alex and Grace walking together, looking more comfortable with each other. It was nice to see everyone getting along.

LUNCH TIME

At lunch, I found William sitting at our usual spot. He looked up and smiled as I approached.

"Hey, Lila," he said. "How's your day going?"

"It's been good," I replied, sitting down. "Looking forward to the weekend."

"Me too," he said, his eyes sparkling. "Any ideas on what movie we should see?"

"I was thinking something light and fun," I suggested. "Maybe a comedy?"

"Sounds perfect," he said. "I could use a good laugh."

As we talked, I felt a growing sense of closeness with him. It was easy to be myself around William, and I appreciated that more than anything.

AFTER SCHOOL

After the final bell rang, I headed to my locker to grab my things. I was pleasantly surprised to find William waiting for me.

"Hey," he said, looking a bit nervous. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a bit before heading home?"

"Sure," I said, smiling. "Where do you want to go?"

"How about the park?" he suggested. "It's nice out."

We walked to the nearby park, enjoying the warm afternoon sun. We found a quiet spot under a tree and sat down.

"It's so peaceful here," I said, looking around.

"Yeah, it is," William agreed. "I like coming here to think."

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company. Finally, William turned to me, a serious look on his face.

"Lila, there's something I've been wanting to tell you," he said, his voice soft.

My heart started to race. "What is it, Will?"